Saturday's wild "Wild Card" games produced big numbers for NBC

It was probably one of the best days in NFL playoff history and with the Northeast portion of the country dealing with record-breaking cold temperatures, it's not a surprise that the TV ratings for Saturday's crazy Colts and Saints victories were outstanding.

Saints’ 26-24 Victory on Final Play at Eagles in NFC Wild Card Earns 20.5/33 Overnight – up 12% From ’13 and No. 2 Primetime Wild Card Game of All-Time

STAMFORD, Conn. – January 5, 2014 – Yesterday’s thrilling NBC “Wild Card Saturday” featuring two playoff games decided by two points-or-less on the same day for the first time in NFL postseason history averaged a combined 18.7 overnight rating and 32 share – up 9% from last year (17.2/31) and ranking as the second-best Wild Card Saturday under the current TV format (since 2002).

The combined 18.7/32 average overnight ranks No. 2 behind only the Jan. 8, 2011 Wild Card Saturday on NBC (19.6/33 average for two one-score games: Saints-Seahawks in NFC followed by Jets-Colts in AFC) since the NFL implemented the current Wild Card Saturday TV windows in January 2002 (2001 NFL season).

BEST SATURDAY AFTERNOON AFC WILD CARD GAME SINCE ’99: The Indianapolis Colts’ wild 45-44 come-from-behind victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the early game, highlighted by the second-largest comeback in NFL playoff history (28 points) and the most combined yardage in an NFL postseason game (1,049 yards), earned a 17.2/31 overnight – the best for a Saturday afternoon AFC Wild Card game since 1999 and up 6% from last season (16.2/31 for Houston’s 19-13 win over Cincinnati). The telecast (4:30-8:00 p.m. ET) peaked with a 21.3/36 overnight rating for the exciting conclusion from 7:30-8 p.m. ET.

The 17.2/31 for the Colts’ victory over Kansas City, highlighted by Andrew Luck’s 443 passing yards and four touchdown throws and T.Y. Hilton’s 13 receptions for 224 yards and two scores, is the highest overnight for a Saturday afternoon AFC Wild Card since the January 2, 1999 Buffalo-Miami game (17.9/37 on ABC). In that game, Dan Marino and the Dolphins won 24-17 after Miami’s defense stopped a Doug Flutie-led Bills drive on the Miami 5-yard line with 17 seconds remaining.

"Andrew Luck and the Colts are going to move on, with a wild Wild Card win over the Kansas City Chiefs." – Dan Hicks, NBC play-by-play for Chiefs-Colts

“What are we going to do for an encore after that game.” – Al Michaels, NBC play-by-play for Saints-Eagles

“Just after you think you’ve seen it all…” – Cris Collinsworth, NBC analyst for Saints-Eagles, in response to Michaels

SECOND-BEST OVERNIGHT EVER FOR PRIMETIME WILD CARD: The New Orleans Saints’ 26-24 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on the final play of the primetime NFC Wild Card posted a 20.5/33 overnight, up 12% from last year (18.3/30 for Green Bay’s 24-10 win over Minnesota) and the second-best overnight ever for a primetime Wild Card game. The NFC Wild Card (8:15-11:15 p.m. ET) overnight rating peaked at a 22.2/36 for the game’s climactic finish from11-11:15 p.m. ET.

The 20.5/33 overnight for the Saints’ first road playoff victory in franchise history – led by quarterback Drew Brees (10 for 12 for 152 yards and a touchdown in the second half) and kicker Shayne Graham (four field goals, including the game winner as time expired) – ranked second among primetime NFL Wild Card games behind NBC’s telecast of the New York Jets’ 17-16 defeat of the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 8, 2011 (20.8/33) on a field goal on the last play of what would be Peyton Manning’s final game as Colts QB.